


It's Nothing

by RPGwrites



Series: Bad Things Happening Card [1]
Category: Mass Effect - All Media Types, Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: Abdominal pain, Angst, Appendicitis, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, ME3, Whump, implied surgery
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-15
Updated: 2020-07-15
Packaged: 2021-03-05 00:48:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,137
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25275667
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RPGwrites/pseuds/RPGwrites
Summary: When Shepard began having abdomen pain she ignored it. Besides, it’s probably nothing. She doesn’t have time for it. But when they rescued the students at Grissom Academy she finds out she was very wrong.
Relationships: Female Shepard/James Vega
Series: Bad Things Happening Card [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1831141
Comments: 10
Kudos: 16





	It's Nothing

**Author's Note:**

> Prompted by: [ Pigeon_theoneandonly ](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pigeon_theoneandonly/pseuds/Pigeon_theoneandonly) Appendictis. This is part of Bad Thngs Happenng Bingo Card.
> 
> A big shoutout to [ soldiermom1973](https://archiveofourown.org/users/soldiermom1973/pseuds/soldiermom1973) for betaing. Thanks for all the help!

“Are you going to eat Commander?” James looked at her while she was picking at her food with her fork. 

Military ship’s food wasn’t great but Shepard usually ate anyway. Tonight however the food was disgusting and she wasn’t hungry. In fact, she was nauseous. 

“No,” she decided and placed her fork down. 

“You sure Commander?” James looked concerned. “You don’t look so good.”

“Just tired,” she lied. Shepard grabbed her plate and utensils and stood up. “I’ll eat later. I have some work to do.”

James only kept staring in concern as if Shepard not eating meant something horrible. But she was fine. If she was unlucky she got the flu. But that was the worst-case scenario. 

She took the elevator up to her cabin and gave a deep yawn. It was one of those days again. But James was at her side making her laugh with his flirting. He made her forget of all her worries even just for a bit. 

They would arrive at Grissom Academy the next day. Hopefully, the kids would be okay but she couldn’t deny the uneasy feeling that landed on her stomach when Samantha spoke about her concerns. 

Shepard still couldn’t believe all the horrible things Cerberus had done. Sure they did bad things before she worked with them. But how did she miss this when she had the fight with the Collectors? Was she really that blind?

Even though things improved between her and Ash, Shepard couldn’t help feeling things still weren't where they once were. She sighed as the doors to the elevator opened and she stepped into her cabin. 

Shepard felt tired. The day took more out of her than she must’ve realized. She sat by her desk and got the datapads out with the information Traynor gave her. 

It was a pity they hadn't gotten more. But the best thing to do was to be as prepared as possible. 

* * *

Shepard never kept her word to James. She didn't go back to the mess and get something to eat. 

She didn't get hungry and tried to stay as late as possible working on her datapads but that didn’t precisely go according to plan. 

For the first time in months she slept a dreamless sleep. Maybe her body needed that, or maybe she really did have the flu. 

The right side of her abdomen began to hurt. It hurt but it was at least bearable. Part of her wondered if she should go to Chakwas and get something for it to help her through the mission, but by this time Shepard knew the Normandy doctor too well. She would demand Shepard being put off the mission and that was the last thing she wanted.

Besides, Shepard didn’t have time to get sick. 

She stopped by the mess to get herself some coffee. But just as she touched the coffee pot she felt sick to her stomach. Suddenly coffee seemed like the worst idea in the Galaxy. 

“Shepard,” EDI spoke through the speakers, “We’ll be arriving in the Petra Nebula system soon.”

She nodded as if EDI could see her. “Thanks, tell Vega and Liara to suit up as well.”

It was time for some action. 

* * *

The mission began well enough. Traynor was right. Cerberus was the cause of the distress call and they were blocking the docks. So Shepard and her team went in via shuttle with Kahlee Sanders help and Joker helpfully gave a distraction of his own. 

“You okay Commander?” James asked. He was concerned again. 

Shepard held her head in her hands. Every time her heart beat, her head pounded with it. Perhaps she should’ve taken something for a headache at least. 

_ How am I going to get through this mission? _

“Yes.” She lifted her head and focussed her blue eyes on him. She could get lost in his eyes. “Just a headache.”

For a split second, James hesitated. But then he stopped with his questions. Instead, he got a bottle of pills out and threw it to her. “For the headaches.”

"Thanks," she replied with a smile. 

“Keep that shuttle in position!” Shepard ordered Cortez when they landed. “We’ll be back!”

Afterwards, they exited the shuttle. Ready as she could be for the mission at hand. 

“Commander,” Sanders said via comm, “I’m locked into a server room around the corner. Cerberus troops are trying to get in.”

Just as Shepard got near the door she heard a Cerberus trooper as if they confirmed what Sanders said, “Get ready. I’ve got the door.” 

When the doors swooshed opened the bullets started flying. Shepard ducked, but each movement sent pain shooting through her abdomen. She sent her own bullets their way. 

“Sanders, we’re clear. It’s me.” The already partly opened door opened wide and Shepard saw a blonde woman hiding under a desk. If she had to guess she’d say it was Sanders. 

“Commander, thank you,” Sanders came out with her assault rifle. “Admiral Anderson always said you were the best.”

Shepard frowned. She didn’t know this woman and Anderson was acquainted. She wondered just how acquainted they are. 

“And with Cerberus coming after my students, I need the best,” the blonde woman continued.”

“How many of you are out there?” It was best that Shepard got the information first. As another sharp pain shot through her abdomen, she hoped this mission wouldn't take too long. But luckily Sanders didn't realize something was up. 

“Fewer than twenty. Most were sent home when word of the Reaper invasion spread.” Sanders spoke about her students while she was moving. “But a few volunteered to stay. Some are prototyping tech for the Alliance.” She took a seat at the desk. “Others are biotics. They’ve been training for military operations, working together as biotic artillery.”

Shepard nodded as she understood, but soon her mind went to Anderson. “You said something about Admiral Anderson…”

“Yes,” Sanders confirmed, “We met - What’s it been?-” She trailed off as her mind began to think of simpler times. “20 years ago, when he was a Spectre candidate. I was there when Saren betrayed him.” Shepard remembered how Anderson told her what happened. “David saved my life that day,” Sanders said gratefully, “He’s a good man.”

Shepard couldn’t help to agree. 

“He was on Earth when the Reapers hit.” Shepard’s own mind drifted off to that awful day when everything changed. The Council should’ve listened sooner! But they didn’t. “He stayed behind when I got offworld.”

“I haven’t heard… We’ve been cut off from most news. He’s alive?”

It must’ve been hard being cut off from the rest of the Galaxy. Not knowing if their loved ones were even still alive. 

“Alive and fighting,” Shepard confirmed, “He’s currently leading the Resistance movement.”

“Good,” Sanders was happy to hear the news. “If we get out of here… Well just tell him to stay alive.”

There was something that lingered in her words. As if what they had was more than him saving her, or even friendship. Shepard could tell she cared deeply about him. 

“A few months knocking over practise dummies can’t prepare your students for war.” Shepard knew the Galaxy needed all the help it could get but this wasn’t the way. 

“Agreed, but the Alliance needs every resource it can get, and our students are unique…” she stopped as she tried to search for the right term. But it was the wrong one. “...resources. They wanted to help. How could we say no with the entire Galaxy falling apart?"

Shepard couldn’t deny it. Things were impossible. 

An alarm went off before any of them could say anything further, “Hang on. I’ve been trying to get communications working. 

Students needed help. Cerberus was after them but luckily Sanders and Shepard heard where they were. 

She reloaded her assault rifle and headed to Orion Hall.

* * *

The further into the mission they got, the worse she felt. The nauseousness felt better. But her pain increased. 

Shooting became harder. Her movements were restricted. And if she did something she shouldn’t like duck too quickly she paid a dear price of pain. 

“Shepard,” Liara said, “Is something wrong?” 

This time the groan came out without her permission. “Nope. I’m perfectly fine,” she lied with a tight voice. 

Both Liara and James gave her worrying glances yet they said nothing else. 

She commanded her suit to inject some medi-gel. Afterwards, she felt sweet relief and instead of the sharp pain, it was duller. It felt better. As if for the first time that day she could breathe normally again. 

But soon the sharp pain in her abdomen returned. 

They helped students that were just caught by Ceberus. Telling them to find the others when things were clear. 

Sanders spoke through the comms trying to assure the students that they were safe. Some doubt it, others didn’t. 

It wasn’t long until Shepard opened the doors to Orion Hall. 

* * *

Inside Ceberus was cornering the students. But some woman stood before them, Protecting them from the group of troops. Perhaps it was the instructor Sanders spoke of. 

“Eat this,” the woman said as she was engulfed by her biotics. Shepard thought she recognized the voice. But her mind couldn’t come up with a face. The woman threw the trooper against a wall. 

“Jack?” Shepard said in recognition. She was surprised to see her here of all places. 

“Shepard?” she said equally surprised to find her here. 

But both looked at their right as they heard enemies incoming. Now wasn’t the time for chit-chat. 

Jack immediately ran and began fighting. Her skills just as good as Shepard remembered, if not better. 

Shepard and her team were hot on her heels, fighting them off. But Shepard’s moves were constricted, slower than usual. 

“Everyone, get down!” she ordered her students. “This thing is outto your league. Shepard keep it off us.” Jack said as she and her students ran upstairs to keep the kids safe. 

The fight was hard, but perhaps not for everyone. Liara and James shot Shepard looks. 

Every movement sent jolting pain towards her abdomen and she had to fight harder to let a groan out than killing the enemies. Her head was no way near the game. 

But soon enough the fight was over. 

From the bottom floor Jack spoke,” Kahlee said she was putting out an SOS. I had no idea the Queen of the Girl Scouts would show up.”

Then she faced her students,” Alright,” Shepard heard how she was addressing them, “Amp check!” She told her students to rest up and eat and Jack jumped off to where Shepard stood. 

She walked to Shepard and punched her. The movement jerked her backwards and she groaned in pain. Jack was shocked. 

“Uh… Shepard? I didn’t hit you that hard. Are you getting soft? Did you always fight that weakly?" A worried look flashed in her eyes.

“Something is up with the Commander,” James agreed. 

“I’m fine,” but her voice wasn’t in it. “Jack, you just caught me by surprise.”

“Dammit,” Jack continued, “How many times did I tell you not to trust Cerberus?”

Jack asked a great question. Shepard didn’t exactly trust them back then but she gave them more credit than she should have. And that is on her. 

“You’re not telling me anything I haven’t told myself, Jack.”

Their conversation went back and forth, but one thing remained. Jack didn’t change one bit and in another way she changed so much. 

She made good points. Points that Shepard couldn’t ignore. 

“Seems like you keep getting new people,” Jack said as she gave Liara and James better looks. 

In the end they decided to split up. 

Shepard was impressed with Jack and her students. They seemed to be well trained. And obviously Jack cared about them a great deal. 

Cortez let them know that there was an opening to get them. But… when Shepard’s eyes lingered on the students she saw how tired and worn out they were. They went through a lot. 

So Shepard let him know that they would find another way. And she hoped she was right. 

Luckily Sanders knew one. And that was when Shepard knew her next stop. 

* * *

Shepard didn’t know how it was possible but the pain got worse. The medi-gel didn’t work any longer. Even her team began to voice their concerns out loud. 

But they were on a mission. Shepard didn’t have time for this.

They were covering the kids as best as they could, but she moved suddenly and she cried out from the pain. 

“Shepard!” James said in alarm. “What’s going on?”

She was panting now. Her heart beating rapidly in her chest. She didn’t know if it was from the battle or the pain. If she had to guess she’d say it was the latter. 

“I’m fine.” It came out as a whisper. 

“No you’re not.” This time James wasn’t taking it. “You need help. Where does it hurt?”

That’s when Shepard and James held a staring contest. Brown eyes against blue eyes. No one blinked. It felt like even the battle that rang without them stopped for a few seconds. 

But Shepard felt another shot of pain and she cried out again. 

“Shepard.” It’s all James said or did. 

“Fine,” she said. “It’s in the lower right of my abdomen but it’s moving towards my navel.”

James frowned and looked serious at her, “Shepard, do you still have your appendix?”

Surely James couldn’t mean she has Appendicitis. It made sense… All her symptoms lined up. But they were in the middle of a war. This wasn’t the best time for it. 

“Yeah, I do.”

James nodded in understanding. “Let me help you up.”

Shepard would’ve said no but it hurt a lot. With his help she got up more easily. 

“Alright,” he said once they both were up. “I think it’s your Appendix. Nothing we can do about that right now but we’ll handle it on the Normandy.”

“There you two are,” Liara jogged to them. “Jack and the students moved on.”

“Noted,” Shepard said. 

Liara frowned, “What’s going on?”

“Shepard might have Appendicitis,” James explained, “She needs to see Chakwas.”

Liara nodded, “That’s a serious condition, isn’t it?’

She looked questiongly at Shepard and James. But James was the one who answered, “If it bursts Shepard might be in a lot of trouble.”

“Alright,” Liara said, “Let’s finish this up.”

* * *

Shepard was in incredible pain. They were so close to the shuttle. But she couldn’t go on. She groaned in pain. 

“C’mon we have to go!” Jack shouted. 

James nodded at Liara, “Let’s get her to the shuttle.”

Shepard didn’t know what happened but one moment she was still on the station, Liara and James taking her arms, and the next moment she was on the shuttle. 

_ Did I black out? _

Shepard was on the ground hugging her stomach as best as she could. 

“Hold on Shepard,” James was at her side, “We’re almost on the Normandy.”

Everything got dark after that. 

* * *

Everything spun in and out of focus. Voices near and far spoke. Some spoke orders. The loudest of them all was Chakwas.

James’ lips moved but she heard nothing. 

The loudest thing was the pain that kept coming.

But Chakwas squeezed her shoulder. 

She was so tired. All she wanted to do was close her eyes. And for the moment that’s what she did. 

_ Just for a few seconds _ , she told herself. And she fell into warm comfortable dreams. 

* * *

“I don’t understand,” Garrus’ mandibles changed into a confused expression. “What happened?”   


Liara, Garrus, and James were outside of the med bay. None of them wanted to leave before they had information about their Commander.

Jack was settling her students. She warned what would happen if they didn't inform her of what’s going on with Shepard. No one would dare to cross her. 

James shrugged, “Sometimes this happens.”

But Garrus only stared at him. So James cleared his throat.

“Most commonly there’s probably a blockage.” But Garrus’ eyes didn’t follow. “This can cause an infection which results in this.”

Garrus only blinked. “Humans are weird.”

“Did Chakwas say they caught it in time?” Liara asked. Anyone could hear how concerned she was about Shepard. 

“According to the scans, yes.” James felt like an information centre. 

If he was honest with himself Shepard really scared him. He was afraid to lose her. 

During the mission he could see something was off. Certain movements were painful for her. Hell, climbing the stairs was torture for her. 

She winced and groaned more times than he could count. 

Eventually they all got a corner on the floor to sit and wait for news. But after a while each of them drifted off. One after the other. 

A touch on his shoulder was what woke him, “James,” a familiar voice said. 

“Yes.” He was startled and almost jumped up. Instead he stood up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. “How is she?”

“The surgery went well. I got it out just in time,” Chakwas happily reported. 

“Thanks doc. Can I see her?”

Chakwas looked at him as if wondering why he was so concerned but she let it slide. Even he knew he had to sort his feelings out for the Commander. “Of course. I’ll tell the others.” 

“Thanks doc.”

* * *

Shepard was sleeping. But a damn beeping noise kept waking her up. At first she didn’t know what it was. 

She opened her eyes slowly. The room was dark. And at first she didn’t know where she was.

Slowly but surely she remembered what happened. She remembered the mission. The kids. Jack. The pain that kept getting worse and worse. 

_ I must be in the med bay.  _

But no matter what Shepard couldn’t remember how she got there. 

“EDI, switch the lights on.”

It wasn’t long until the lights were on and the sharpness came with a vengeance. She shut her eyes in response. 

“Lola?” It must be James. 

She opened her eyes up again, “Hey.” He was sitting on a chair next to her. He looked like he just woke up himself. 

“You had us worried there for a sec.”

She gave a dark chuckle, “Sorry about that. Mission first.”

James said nothing in that regard. “How are you feeling?”

“Like Hell.” It still hurt but instead of the sharp piercing pain it was duller. More bearable. Probably thanks to the pain meds Chuckwas gave her. 

“You look like Hell,” he commented. 

She smirked, “Look who's talking.”

But James got serious for a moment and held her hand, “I feared the worst.” As he recognized his mistake he cleared his throat. “I mean we feared the worst.”

She smiled knowingly, “Thank you for always having my back.”

Katherine Shepard hoped he knew she meant more than on the battlefield. 

**Author's Note:**

> Feel free to come and say hi on [ Tumblr ](https://rpgwarrior4824.tumblr.com/).


End file.
